New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea showed excitement after a crucial double play during the team's 7-2 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in Tuesday's National League Division Series game. (Elsa/Getty Images)
The New York Mets took a 2-1 series lead in the National League Division Series (NLDS) on Tuesday, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 in Game 3. The Mets were powered by Pete Alonso’s home run off Phillies’ pitcher Aaron Nola and a dominant performance from Sean Manaea, who pitched seven strong innings, allowing just two hits before exiting in the eighth.
Playing at Citi Field for the first time in over two weeks, the Mets saw more than just Alonso stepping up. Jesse Winker also hit a home run, and Starling Marte contributed a key two-run single, helping the Mets secure a crucial win in their homecoming.
Manaea, who had a tough postseason record coming into this game, delivered a stellar performance. He exited the game in the eighth inning after giving up an infield hit, receiving a standing ovation from the packed Citi Field crowd of over 44,000. He later revealed that the game held special significance for him, dedicating his performance to his Aunt Mabel, who had passed away earlier that morning.
"I just wanted to do this for her," Manaea said emotionally, as he looked toward the sky when leaving the mound.
The game wasn't without its tense moments. In the sixth inning, Manaea got into a jam by walking two batters in a row. However, he rebounded by striking out Bryce Harper and inducing a line-drive double play off the bat of Nick Castellanos, which kept the Mets’ lead intact.
Alonso, who has a history of success against Nola, crushed a first-pitch fastball into the stands in the second inning, marking his second home run of the series and his third in the Mets’ last four playoff games. The Mets' slugger noted that hitting to the opposite field, as he did for this homer, has been a good sign of his form.
"I’m just glad I could help the team in this spot," Alonso said.
Alonso’s rivalry with Nola dates back to their college days, and the Mets' first baseman has consistently had the upper hand in their encounters at the professional level. Tuesday's home run was his sixth against Nola, adding to his already impressive numbers against the Phillies pitcher.
Nola's struggles continued as he loaded the bases in the sixth, forcing the Phillies to turn to reliever Orion Kerkering. Marte then delivered a clutch two-run single to extend the Mets' lead to 4-0. In the following inning, two more Mets’ runs came from a single by Jose Iglesias, further padding their lead.
Though Philadelphia tried to rally in the eighth inning with RBI singles from Harper and Castellanos, Mets reliever Ryne Stanek held firm, retiring Alec Bohm to end the threat. The Mets added another insurance run in the bottom half when Francisco Lindor doubled, making the final score 7-2.
Now, the Mets are just one win away from advancing to the National League Championship Series. Game 4 will take place on Wednesday, where New York will look to clinch the series against the Phillies.
